Post Office Holiday Schedule
Which days are post offices closed?
Updated August 2026
This is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the United States Postal Service or any other official entity. Always verify details directly with USPS.com or your local post office.
Quick Answer
Post offices close for all 11 federal holidays each year: no retail service, home/business delivery, or street collection pickup runs on those days. Priority Mail Express is the one exception, operating all 365 days including federal holidays.
2026 federal holiday schedule
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1, 2026 Thu |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 19, 2026 Mon |
| Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day) | Feb 16, 2026 Mon |
| Memorial Day | May 25, 2026 Mon |
| Juneteenth | Jun 19, 2026 Fri |
| Independence Day | Jul 4, 2026 Sat Observed Friday, July 3, 2026 |
| Labor Day | Sep 7, 2026 Mon |
| Columbus Day | Oct 12, 2026 Mon |
| Veterans Day | Nov 11, 2026 Wed |
| Thanksgiving Day | Nov 26, 2026 Thu |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25, 2026 Fri |
Dates reflect the official OPM federal holiday calendar for 2026 and are subject to change.
How holiday dates are set
The exact calendar date shifts year to year since several of these are observed on a specific weekday (like "the fourth Thursday in November") rather than a fixed date, and when a holiday falls on a weekend, USPS typically observes it the preceding Friday or following Monday. Check usps.com's current calendar for this year's exact dates.
What closes on a federal holiday
USPS observes 11 federal holidays each year. On each one, retail lobbies are closed and regular mail delivery doesn't run. A closed post office affects three things: counter transactions, delivery to homes and businesses, and pickup from street collection boxes. None of these happen on a federal holiday. Retail hours already vary a lot by location outside of holidays too. See this site's guide to Post Office Weekend Hours for typical Saturday and Sunday patterns.
Mail already in transit
Mail already moving through the network keeps moving regardless; it just won't be scanned, sorted, or delivered again until the next business day, so a package showing "in transit" on a holiday isn't stuck: it's simply passing through a facility that isn't staffed that day.
Deadlines and postmarks
If you need something postmarked or mailed by a specific legal deadline that happens to fall on a holiday, mail it the business day before; a retail transaction or collection pickup can't happen again until the post office reopens.
Priority Mail Express
Priority Mail Express is the one exception, the only USPS service that operates all 365 days, including every federal holiday. Everything else, including regular First-Class and Priority Mail, pauses for the day.